Electrical relay



1932- A. T. JOHNSTON ,8

ELECTRICAL RELAY Filed Jan. 8, 1930 Z-Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR'. )1 T f hnsten, Q;R.W'

Jan. 19, 1932. A. T. JOHNSTON ELECTRICAL RELAY Filed Jan. 8, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR, R.T.\Tohnsten 0,-3.4?

Patented Jan. 19, 1932 UNITE :1);

, ,ALLAN '1. JOHN SIGN, OF MOUNT LEBANON, IA, ASSIGNOR TlO THE UNIONv SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CQRPOR IATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA ELECTRICAL RELAY My nveniiee at o ec e ays and par larly. ev lee rie l, tele s d tee to be operated by.alternatingcurrent. More p ii e rl my r e ii le were 41129 n atingcurrent relays of the type comprlsin a Wm i and a was c @p a at the expirationof a predeter lninedtime 1nterval of comparatively duration said, winding becomes energized.

I will descriheone forlnf of electrical relay embodying my invention, and, willlthen poirit' out the hotel featuresthereof ini claims.

In the accompanying drawings liig. 1 is a top planview of a relay emloodyiilgmy inven;

tion with certai r of the parts omitted tomore' clearly illustrate the construction 2fis a front View of a portion of th e rela'y illus tra tedin Big, 1 F 3 is a sideview offa portion of the relay illustrated in Fig. 1, as it appears when viewed fromthe in Figll.

Referring to the drawings, the reference,

character A designates a base p1ate"which supportsthe operating parts of the relay;

Mounted on two spaced tertical osts '1" ,{i'orm ed integral with the base plate "ism electroinagnet B comprising twat-she ed laminated cores 2 as bestseen in Fig 3L he cores 21am attached to the posts 1 by'inean's of screws 3, and arejarrangedw'vith their short 2"confr0nting but spaeedffrorn each other by an air ga 4;. Each short leg 2Pis provided with an energizing coil 5, which coils, as shown in Big, 1, are connected; in series, and are arranged to be supplied at jitirnes with alternatingfcurrentfrom a suitable sourcesuch as the secondary 7 of a trans former T, over a switch 6. With the eleet'rio' magnet constructed in this mannery it will be apparent that the short legs2 constitute one set of poles and the long legs 2* constitute another set of poles. A ferrule 8 of copper, or other electro-conductive material partlally encloses the exposed end of each short leg 2 to produce a shifting magnetic field when the coils 5 are supplied. with alternating current.

The electromagnetB controls a laminated tractive armature 9, and adisk or'vane 141 0t electro-conductive, non-magnetic material such as aluminum, Thearmatur eefi is pitoted one end on astud 10 c'arriedi by aprojectio'n 1.1 of. one of, the posts 1, and is arrangedto swing'towardor away from the legs 2 of the cores 2 of electromagnet B according as the coils 5 of'electromag'net B are energized orde-e'nerg iZed. The rnotion of the' 'armature Qfawiy from the legs 2 or 'the cores 2is'li'1nited by an adjustable back' stop 55 screwed into the base plate A. Two ferrules 12' of electro con'duetive material such as copper are fastened to the armature 9 to prevent chattering ot the armature when the armature is swung toward the legs 2 of the cores 2jdue't0 energization of the coils 5, I

' The vane 14 ezitends into the air gapfl between the'short legs 2 of the cores 2 and is that when the coils 50f electroinagnet B are energized, an electromagnetic torque will be exertedfon the van lflfby the shifting magnetic field whichfissetup inthe cores 2, and thevane 14: will rotate,

The vane 14 is operatively connected,

through gearingC, with a movable arrn The arm G, in the form here shown, coniprises two parallel strips 19, rigidlyfastened together at one end by n eans ot a spacing stud 20, and pivotally supported at the other end on av countershaft 21. The arm G also comprises a pinion 22 journaled'in the strips 19, and meshing with an idler gear 23 rno'unted on a stud attachedjto on'eof the strips 19', The idler gear" 23, in turn, meshes with a: pinion 25 Loosely, journaled, on the counter I .7 :I I I 1 The eountershaft 21 is mounted in two spaced plates 26 and 27 whichare fastened by mean's'of'screws 31, to the oppositesides of two standards28 forming a part'of a casting 29; The casting 2 9, lIItIlIIl, is fastened tothef'base plate A by means of screws, 30, and is provided with an, upright m'emberr32 which cooperates with" the plate 26 tosupport part of, the gearing C, which gearing I i as best seen in Fig. 1. The gear wheel 33 is fastened to a shaft which is journalled at one end in. the upright member 32 of the casting 29 and, at the other end, in the plate 26. The shaft 3% also carries a pinion 35, which is fixed to this shaft, and which meshes with a gear wheel 36. The gear wheel 36 is secured to a shaft 37 journaled in the plates 26 and 27 and has attached thereto, or formed integral therewith, a pinion 38, which drives a gear wheel 39. The gear wheel 39, in turn, is fastened to the countershaft 21, and meshes with the pinion 22 of the movable arm G- hereinbefore described.

Cooperating with the pinion 25 is a dog lO which is pivoted at one end on a pin carried by two spaced lugs is formed on one of the standards 28 (see Figs. 1 and The other end of the dog i0 is bent upwardly and is tapered for engagement with the teeth of the pinion 25. The dog i0 is adapted to be operated by the armature 9 and, for the pur pose of connecting the dog with the armature, the dog is provided with a hole lO (Fig. 2) which receives a stud 42 with considerable clearance at a portion 42 having a smaller diameter than the body of the stud. The stud 42 is fastened to one end of a bracket ll, the other end of which is fastened to the free end of armature 9, as best seen in Fig. 5. lVith the parts arranged in this manner, it will be seen that when the coils 5 of electromagnet B are energized so that armature 9 is drawn upwardly against the legs 2 of the cores 2, the dog %0 will be swung upwardly about the pin 48 to a position in which its tapered end engages the pinion 25, thereby preventing rotation of the pinion 25.

The arm G operates contact apparatus here shown as comprising a rocker 45, pivotally mounted at 45, and provided with a horizontal arm 46 which is pivotally c011- nected with the upper end of a link 47. The lower end of the link t? is provided with a slot 4-7 which receives the spacing stud 20 of the movable arm G. The rocker l5 carries two contact fingers 4-9 and 50 which cooperate with two fixed contacts 49 and 50, respectively, to close a contact i9- l9 or 50-50, as will be explained hereinafter. The rocker 45 also carries a bar 51 and a counterweight 54. The bar 51 cooperates with adjustable front and back stop screws 52 in a fixed block 53 to restrict the motion of the rocker l5 to the desired limits. The counterweight 54 serves to bias the rocker to a position in which the contact 5050" is closed and the contact i9l9 is open as shown in the drawings.

The operation of the relay is as follows: hen switch 6 is open, the coils 5 of electromagnet B are deenergized, so that vane 14 is at rest, and armature 9 is swung away from the legs 2 of the cores 2. The dog is then out of engagement with the pinion 25 and the pinion 25 is therefore free to rotate on the countershaft 21. Under these conditions, the movable arm G engages an adjust able backstop 48 screwed in a boss l8 of the casting 29. When the arm G occupies this position, the pin 20 of this arm occupies an intermediate position in the slot li' of the link l7, and the counterweight 5 f therefore holds the rocker e5 in the position in whch contact 50-50 is closed and contact l9-i.) is open.

I will now assume that switch 6 becomes closed. Alternating current is then supplied to the coils 5 of electromagnet B from the secondary 7 of transformer T, and an alternating flux is set up in the cores 2 of electromagnet B. Armature 9 therefore picks up and moves dog 40 into engagement with the pinion 25, so that rotation of the pinion 25 about the countershaft 21 is prevented and, at the same time, vane 1e starts to rotate. The rotation of the vane l l is transmitted through the gearing C to the pinion 22 of the arm G which, in turn, drives idler gear 23, and the parts are so arranged that this gear turns in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2. Since pinion 25 is now prevented from rotating by dog 40, it will be apparent that the rotation of the idler gear 23 causes the arm G to rotate about the counter-shaft 21 in the same direction as the idler gear is rotating. As the arm G rotates in this direction, the stud 20 slides upwardly in the slot 17 of link l7 until it engages the upper end of this slot, whereupon it operates rocker to open contact 50 and close contact 49%92 The vane i l will continue to rotate until bar 51 engages the lower stop screw 52, at which time further motion of the bar and hence further rotation of the vane is prevented. The rocker l5 is then held in the position in which the bar 51 engages the lower stop screw 52 until switch 6 is opened to de-energize the coils 5 of electromagnet B. WVhen this is done, the arn'iature 9 drops, thereby moving dog 4L0 out of engagement with the pinion 25. Since the pinion 25 is then free to rotate about the countershaft 21, arm G innnediately returns by gravity to its lower position in which it engages the backstop 48. Stud 20 is then withdrawn from engagement with the upper end of slot 427 in the link 47, and counterweight therefore operates rocker 4L5 to open contact 49 l9 and close contact 50-50. All parts are then restored to the positions in which they are illustrated in the drawings.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a considerable interval of time elapses after the coils 5 of electromagnet B become energized before contact 5050 opened and contact l9-et9 becomes closed. It will also be apparent from an inspection of the drawings that the length of this time interval depends upon the angular distance through whichthe arm G must be rotated before the stud 20 of the arm G engages the upper end of the slot 47 in thelink 47, the speed of the vane 14:, and the gear ratios of the gears comprising tl e gearing C. The an le through which the arm G has to move beIore the pin 20 engages the upper end of the slot 47* in thelink i? may be increased or decreased by lowering or raising the backstop 48 and the gear ratios of the gears comprising the gearing C may be varied by replacing the gears with other gears having the desired ratio. It follows, therefore, that the time interval which elapses after the coils 5 of the electro- 5, magnet B are energized before contact 5056 is opened and contact 49-i9* becomes closed, may be adjusted to any desired value.

It will also be apparent from the foreoing that when the coils 5 of electromagnet become de-energized after contact 5O5O has been opened and contact 4:949 has been closed, contact 4949" becomes opened immediately and contact 5050 becomes closed immediately. It follows that I have provided an alternating current relay having one contact which does not close until the expiration of a measured time interval of comparatively long duration after the relay becomes energized but which opens immediately upon the de-energization of the relay, and another contact which does not open until the expiration of said time interval after the relay becomes energized but which closes immediately upon the de-energization of the relay.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of electrical relay embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, an electromagnet having two sets of poles, means for at times energizing said electromagnet, a vane adapted to rotate between one set of poles when said electromagnet is energized, a tractive armature which is moved toward the other set of poles when said electromagnet is energized, a normally closed contact, means controlled by said vane and said armature for opening said contact upon the operation of a predetermined time interval after said electromagnet becomes energized, and means independ ent of said first mentioned means for restoring said contact if said armature moves away from said other set of poles.

2. In combination, an alternating current electromagnet, means for at times energizing said electromagnet, a vane arranged to be rotated by said electromagnet when said electromagnet is energized, a tractive armature 1 movable toward and away from said electromagnet according as said electromagnet is energized or de-energized, a Contact, means controlled by said vane and said armature for operating said contact upon the expiration of a predetermined time interval after said electromagnet becomes energized, and

electromagnet for preventing rotation of said 7 second rotatable member when said electromagnet is energized, a third member, means controlled, by said first member for rotating said third member about said first member when and only when said second member is prevented from rotating, and a contact controlled by said third member.

4. In combination, an electromagnet, means for at times energizing said electromagnet, a first member adapted to be rotated by said electromagnet when said electromagnet is energized, a second member movable toward and away from said electromagnet according as said electromagnet is energized or de-energized, a third rotatable member, means controlled by said first member for rotating said third member when and only when said second member is moved toward said electromagnet, and a contact operated by said third member.

5. In combination, an electromagnet, means for at times energizing said electromagnet, a first member adapted to be rotated by said electromagnet when said electromagnet is energized, a second member movable toward;

and away from said electromagnet according as said electromagnet is energized or de-energized, a third member biased to a first posi tion but movable to a second position, means controlled by said first member for moving said third member from its first position to its second position if said second member is moved toward said electromagnet, and a contact controlled by said third member.

6. In combination, a countershaft, a first pinion journalled on said countershaft, an arm pivotally supported on said countershaft and biased by gravity to a predetermined position, said arm being provided with a second rotatable pinion andwith an idler gear for connecting said second pinion with said first pinion, an electromagn-et, means controlled y said electromagnet and effective when said electromagnet is energized for at times rotating said second pinion, means also controlled by said electromagnet and effective when said electromagnet is energized for preventi rotating of said first pinion whereby said arm is made to rotate about said countershaft in response to rotation of said second pinion, and a contact controlled by said arm,

7. In combination, an electromagnet, means for at times energizing said electromagnet, a vane adapted to be rotated by said eiectromagnet when said electromagnet is energized, a tractive armature movable toward and away from said electromagnet according a, said electromagnet is energized or de-energized, a countershaft, a first pinion loosely journalied on said countersha'lt, a. movable arm comprising two spaced strips rigidly secured together at one end by a spacing stud and )ivotally supported at the other end on said shaft, said arm also comprising a second pinion journalled in said strips and an idler gear journalied on a stud carried by one of said strips, said idler gear being arranged to mesh with both said first and second pinions, gearing connected between said vane and said second pinion for at times rotating said second pinion in response to rotation of said vane, a pivoted dog, means attached to said armature for moving said dog into engagement with said first pinion when said armature is moved toward said electromagnet to prevent said first pinion from rotating, and a contact controlled by said movable arm.

8. A relay comprising an eiectromagnet, a vane adapted to be rotated when said electromagnet is energized, a tractive armature which is moved toward or away from said electromagnet according as said electromagnet is energized or deenergized, a dog which is moved from a first position to a second position when said tractive armature is moved toward said electromagnet, a contact, and means independent of said armature for operating said contact in response to rotation of said vane ii and only if said dog occupies its second position.

9. A relay comprising an electromagnet, a vane adapted to be rotated when said electromagnet is energized, a tractive armature which is moved toward or away from said electromagnet according as said electromagnet is energized or deenergized, a member which is moved to a first or a second position according as said tractive armature is moved toward or away from said electromagnet, a contact, means responsive to rotation of said vane if and only if said member occupies its first position for operating said contact, and other means ettective when said contact has been operated for restoring said contact when said member is subsequently moved to its second position.

10. A relay comprising an electromagnet, a vane which is rotated by said electromagnet when said eiectromagnet becomes energized, a counter-shaft, gearing for connecting said vane and said counter-shaft in such manner that said counter-shaft is rotated in response to rotation of said vane, a pinion loosely journalled on said counter-shaft, a tractive armature arranged to be moved toward or away from said .electromagnet according as said ALLAN T. JOHNSTON, 

